Love and Duty
by Baby Girl's a Queen
Summary: Kel and Owen meet at Fort Steadfast and struggle with their new feelings. Kel and Owen pairing.


Love and Duty

As the towering walls of Fort Mastiff came into view Lady Knight Keladry felt the familiar pang of jealousy. It was true that New Hope had better defences than Haven but it was still a refugee camp on the front lines of battle. Kel's command, New Hope was attacked every week but nobody had thought to give her companies of soldiers or the material and workmen to build double walls.

"Never mind those walls, Peachblossom," Kel said to her horse, "Our people are just as well trained as some of these green soldiers and they fight ten times harder for their homes."

"Hey Kel, I know your Peachblossom's smart, but it's like I keep telling Wyldon: he's not going to speak back."

Kel looked up to see the flaming red hair of Owen of Jesslaw riding towards her on his new mare, Swiftfoot. Reaching Kel, Owen pulled his mare about and saluted.

"You're late, Lady Knight. That's not like you. I was sent out to hurry you up in case we didn't all grow beards before you had a chance to give your reports."

"You were not, I'm a whole day early, thankyou very much." Kel said taking on a haughty tone, "I know Lord Wyldon doesn't expect me to kill my horse so I can give him some reports with nothing new."

Owen grinned at her before kicking his horse into a gallop and yelling for a race. Unknown to Keladry, Owen's thoughts were racing faster than any horse could. Kel had grown up so much lately – or perhaps he had just started looking at her differently since their rescue mission into Scanra. At any rate, whether physically or in his head, Kel was now definitely a lady.

As Kel and Owen dismounted inside Fort Mastiff Kel was able to appreciate how much Owen had matured since the first time she had met him, during a brawl in a palace corridor. He had finally lost his baby face and had shot up recently to just over three inches taller than her. Very much the man, Kel thought as she watched him hand both their reins to a stable hand.

After Kel had delivered his reports to Lord Wyldon with no hassles – she had even been given ten extra soldiers as the war was going so well in other parts of the border – Owen led her up to her room.

"Hey Owen," Kel thought allowed, "Why is it still your job to meet people and show them around now that you're a knight?"

"It's not really," Owen blushed scarlet as he thought about the implications of his next sentence, "I just wanted to be the one to meet you and show you to your room. I've missed you."

"Oh." At this stage Kel was entirely lost in his gaze.

Owen handed her a package he had been carrying and broke away Kel, walking almost too swiftly down the hall.

As Keladry opened the package she soon forgot the unusually intense encounter with Owen. Lalassa had sent up new dresses for Kel to wear and they were so beautiful, Kel couldn't help but the run her hands over the soft material. As Kel looked at a pink evening dress she wondered how long it had been since she had worn dresses. She was shocked when she realised it had been as a squire, almost three years ago.

Kel did not dislike wearing dresses – quite the opposite. But she did have a shortage of places it would be appropriate to wear a dress. She couldn't while at Haven or New Hope because there she needed to be scene as a strong commander interested in everyone's safety, not a court bimbo who fluffed about with fashion and the best way to wear their hair.

Kel realised that she had an opportunity here at Mastiff – amongst men who knew the riders well and respected women as warriors and ladies.

Donning the most casual of the dresses for dinner in the mess Kel smiled at her reflection. The dress was low cut and flattering but modest enough to wear to the soldiers mess.

Owen was stressing with his appearance in front of the tiny mirror in his rooms. He had already known how beautiful Kel was before she arrived. He didn't know why her appearance made his heart race like a nervous squire with his first crush.

Then it clicked. It was only a little crush he had on Kel – nothing to worry about. It was just seeing her again after so long that made him so excited. He sighed at his hair sticking up in the mirror. He was sure Kel would not feel the same way about him, after all, she wasn't some silly court flirt who fell in and out of love with every second boy that came along.

Striding along to the Mess Hall Owen relaxed. This was just a crush he had on Kel and it would disappear just as easily as the short lived crushes he'd had on court ladies as a squire on progression.

All of his thoughts stopped as he took in the lady standing at the door to the Mess Hall. He closed his mouth and checked he hadn't drooled before he offered _Lady_ Keladry his arm – ogling the Lady Knight would only get him a saw arm.

As they walked together into the Soldiers Mess Hall all eyes turned to look at them. There was silence for a moment and then the hall erupted in whispers – some of them appreciative, some positive but Owen could see some of the men who had never seen Kell whisper hateful comments.

"Whore!" one man said clearly as Owen and Kel passed on their way to sit with Lord Wyldon at the raised table.

Owen turned white and dropped Kel's arm. He lunged at the young man who was clearly smaller than him and began throwing punches wildly. Before Kel could think the whole table had joined the brawl and it was no longer clear who was fighting for which side.

Kel saw the look of pure rage on Lord Wyldon's face and waded through the brawling men to drag Owen out of the fray.

"Sit down!" Lord Wyldon's voice rang clear over the noise of the fight. He spoke as one who knows he will be obeyed. Kel recalled that as a page that voice could cut through pure terror.

Unsurprisingly, the fray was soon cleaned up and Kel found herself in a situation she thought she had grown out of when she became a squire. Owen and Kel were again standing in front of Lord Wyldon's desk, as he demanded to know what had happened.

"Reminds me of the first time we met." Owen leaned over and whispered into Kel's ear, "So do we keep the 'I fell' story now?" Owen smiled as he leaned back; he had not missed the scent of Keladry's perfume.

"I can fight my own battles, Owen," Kel hissed as she kept her eyes glued on the back of Lord Wyldon's hear, "And I certainly don't need anyone else to defend my honour."

Owen looked ashamed of himself as Wyldon turned back to face them again.

"So, Owen, why did you punch that soldier?" Wyldon's voice was icy.

"We had a philosophical disagreement, sir."

Wyldon sighed then his voice rang strong and clear, "Everyone involved in the fight will have punishment duties for the next two weeks. Keladry, you may send a letter to New Hope explaining the situation."

As Kel stalked out of the mess hall she saw the man who had gotten her into this mess. Walking over calmly she took her glove and slapped him hard across the cheek.

"We will meet on the jousting range tomorrow morning at 9:00. Do not be late." Kel's voice was detached and emotionless as if she did not care.

Owen walked with her back to her rooms in silence but stopped her at the door.

"Why did you do it, Kel? Why this time?" It was clear from his voice that he was desperate.

"Perhaps I'm sick of it, Owen. Being called a whore and a slut and a million other names because I serve my nation. Perhaps I'm just mad that I will be stuck here for the next two weeks doing punishment work!"

Kel was almost yelling by the end of her rant but Owen gave her time to cool down before slowly pressing her up against her door and ever so gently pressing his lips to hers.

It was so soft it might not have happened but Kel knew she could not ignore it. Owen straightened up and looked down at her with all of the love and admiration he had ever felt for anybody.

"Can come and help you prepare tomorrow?"

Kel made a tiny nod, still in shock that Owen had kissed her and Owen strode off to his own rooms where he would toss and turn all night thinking on the kiss the fight and worrying for Kel in tomorrow's joust.

Owen woke up early the next morning and hurried off to Kel's rooms. He stood outside her door for some time, listening to the sounds of her morning ritual and feeling very like a peeping Tom. He knew he shouldn't be standing outside her door but he was too nervous to go in just yet.

He was nervous about the day's joust, he was nervous walking into Kel's room at this time in the morning and most of all he was nervous about Kel's reaction to the kiss.

"Why couldn't I have left everything as it used to be? Everything is different now!" Owen muttered under his breath and thumped his head against her door.

Owen looked around in panic as he heard Kel pad over to open the door.

"Well, are you going to come in? I'll have to turn up in my knickers at this rate!" Owen blushed scarlet as he imagined Kel in her knickers.

By the time Kel's last piece of armour was in place they were both crimson. Neither had expected the act of putting on armour would be so intimate.

Owen was sitting on the sidelines as Kel mounted up and a soldier she was sure she had met before handed her a lance. Kel didn't like to feel cocky but as she watched her opponent mount up she knew this would be an easy joust. He was obviously inexperienced and held his lance at an awkward angle, failing to keep it in the cradle.

Kel spotted Lord Wyldon watching from beside Owen but didn't let it faze her.

As the flag went down she whispered for Peachblossom to charge. She thundered down the lane aiming her lance just below centre and popped the soldier out of the saddle. For a moment she thought the shocked look on his face as he flew through the air and into the dust made Lord Wyldon's punishment almost bearable.

As Wyldon walked through the practice areas he was shocked to see two jousters in full armour with a large audience. As he became closer he was not shocked to see that it was the new recruit who started to settle the fight and Keladry. Wyldon had wanted to boot that boys bottom right out of the war but he was glad Keladry had handled it on her own terms. He had always known she would be insulted like that every way she turned but it still made his blood boil. He had grown very fond of the Lady Knight and thought of her as one of his own daughters.

"What's making you sweat Jesslaw? Surely you didn't bet against Keladry?" Wyldon had sat down next to Owen, "Because she is going to win this match and win it easily. I would be surprised if she needed a second run to unhorse that green whelp."

"Sir, is it terrible that I think of our Lady Knight more as a Lady than a Knight?"

Wyldon stared out as Keladry stampeded down the lane.

"What did I tell you? That girl improves every time I see her joust." Wyldon tried to avoid the question.

"Sir?"

"Keladry is a lady and a knight and if you mean to court her you must remember that. She isn't some silly court flower that will whither and can be so easily trodden on." Wyldon looked directly at him, "If you mess her around, Jesslaw, you will have the Lioness, Lord Raul, a company of the King's Own and myself to answer to."

Lord Wyldon's statement was cruel but after spending so much time with the man he could see it for what it really was: permission.

Owen was waiting in Kel's rooms when she returned. He silently began removing her armour and, even in her tired state, Kel knew he was taking far too long.

"What are you doing, Owen?"

"I really like you Kel."

"What?" Kel sat down sharply on the bed.

"I like-like you, Kel and you have no idea." With that Owen leaned down and kissed Kel tenderly, just once.

"I did have a little bit of an idea. You did kiss me." Kel smiled up at him. She had no idea what she was doing. She only knew that she wanted what he was offering.

The next kiss was less tender. It was all wanting and taking and _need._

Kel stood in front of Lord Wyldon's desk utterly perplexed. This was the first time ever that she had no idea _why_ she was there. She stood there in silence trying to think what she could possibly have done. Kel had also noticed that Lord Wyldon looked more stiff and awkward than he usually did.

"Keladry," Lord Wyldon faltered for a moment, "Gods, Keladry. I feel I should probably be saying this to Owen but he's a good boy." Kel listened and nodded, not understanding where he was going with this. It seemed that he was talking more to himself.

He straightened his posture once more and used his most formal voice, "Keladry, you are probably wondering why I called you to my office today. I called you here because I can see very clearly how Owen feels about you and I do not want you to lead him on if you do not feel the same way."

Kel stood with barely concealed shock hidden behind her "Yamani Lump" mask.

"And now I would like to give you some advice. You know that you are no longer forced to keep your door open when you have gentleman-company but please use your discretion. Consider your relationship, you have worked for so long to build up a reputation the you are a good fighter, a strong commander and a loyal comrade. That could all be ruined in an instant. I'm not saying you shouldn't have any relationships, just think if they are what you really want before you make any life changing decisions."

Kel couldn't help but notice that this was the forth time she had been given 'The Talk' and that it just kept getting more awkward every time. Kel thought it must be the influence of having daughters – Lord Wyldon had done this before several times.

"Alright, alright, you're dismissed." Lord Wyldon waved his hand to the door and returned to his papers. Kel walked out the door and walked swiftly back to her chambers.

Owen was waiting for her in her chambers. After his talk with Lord Wyldon at the joust he had a fairly good idea what Lord Wyldon and he was sure it was closer to 'stay away from that louse' than 'sure you can go courting any man in the fort, and may I suggest you start with Owen, that handsome, brave, young man'.

He was startled out of his thoughts as Kel opened the door and looked at him with shock. As he took the opportunity to stare at her the realization that he really, _really_ shouldn't be in her room, sitting on her bed in the evening. Kel didn't know what to say, she didn't often enter her room to find someone else on her bed and she realised that the room was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

"What did the Stump have to say for himself?" Owen asked, standing quickly from her bed and walking to the desk.

"Owen! You shouldn't call him that!" Nevertheless Kel smiled at their old nick-name for him. Somehow it made everything more innocent. Then she remembered the conversation. Kel's face flushed and she looked at the ground, "I was given "the Talk" … again."

Owen burst out laughing. He had hoped to be given Wyldon's blessing, expected Wyldon to warn Kel against him – but he had never dreamed Wyldon would attempt a sex talk.

Owen calmed down and smirked at her, "So Kel, do you think you understand where babies come from yet? Or do you need _me_ to explain it?"

Kel blushed harder. Easy for Owen to be standing there flirting, he hadn't just been mortified.

"He also warned me not to lead you on and, and he reminded me about my reputation and my duty." Silence.

"Oh Kel, I'm so sorry. You know I would never want you ruin your reputation and I would never stand between you and your duty, I just wasn't thinking. I'm sorry Kel, did you want to call it off?" Owen's voice was full of remorse.

"I don't want to call it off. I just think it would be the _right thing_." Owen hung his head – he knew he always came after duty. "It's just, I don't know Owen, with my refugees and the war…"

"It's alright, Kel, I know. Just, promise me something Kel," Owen looked at her with so much hope, "if you still feel this way at the end of the war, you'll come see me."

Kel nodded she was only just keeping herself from tears – she really did want to stay here with Owen.

Owen leaned in and kissed her sweetly, softly slowly. The perfect goodbye kiss.


End file.
